Beyond GDP: The Social Progress Podcast

Social Progress Imperative
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Insight and inspiration on making the right choices for people and planet. We feature bold conversations with global leaders and innovators from government, businesses, community advocacy, foundations, and more who are charting a path for inclusive growth and sustainability. Hosted by Michael Green, CEO at Social Progress Imperative, we explore how the world must move beyond GDP metrics and economic growth to truly improve the social and environmental wellbeing of communities. ©Beyond GDP: The Social Progress Podcast is an essential listening for decision-makers ready to do things differently.

Episodes

  1. Are Mexico's Best Days Ahead? Social Progress and the Future of North America

    MAR 18

    Are Mexico's Best Days Ahead? Social Progress and the Future of North America

    What does social progress actually look like inside one of the world's most watched and most misunderstood economies? Michael Green sits down with Sofía Ramírez Aguilar, Director of México ¿Cómo Vamos?to dig into where Mexico really stands on quality of life, what the Social Progress Index reveals across all 32 states, and why the story is far more nuanced than the headlines suggest.  From the happiness paradox to the three critical gaps holding Mexico back — public safety, basic education, and healthcare, to the Shared Prosperity Map that puts U.S. and Mexican states on the same quality-of-life scale, this is a conversation about what North American integration actually looks like on the ground. Plus: why foreign direct investment follows social progress scores, what teen pregnancy rates in Oaxaca vs. Chihuahua reveal about the limits of aggregate data, and Sofía's optimistic prediction for the decade ahead. Chapters 00:00:00 – Introduction & What México ¿Cómo Vamos? Does 00:02:15 – Mexico's Happiness Rankings & Social Progress Reality Check 00:05:48 – The Three Big Gaps: Safety, Education, Healthcare 00:10:33 – The Shared Prosperity Map of North America 00:12:37 – Quality of Work vs. Employment as a Social Progress Driver 00:18:59 – The Two-Way Relationship Between Growth and Social Progress 00:20:39 – State-Level Data: Guerrero, Chiapas, Oaxaca & Closing the Gap 00:23:00 – Teen Pregnancy as a Window Into Different State Realities 00:27:41 – Laredo/Nuevo Laredo: Social Progress at the Municipal Level 00:29:33 – Why Investors Follow Social Progress Scores 00:34:12 – Supply Chains, Integration, and the States Being Left Behind 00:36:15 – Sofía's Prediction: A Decade of Real Progress in North America Follow Sofía Ramírez Aguilar and México ¿Cómo Vamos?:  Website https://mexicocomovamos.mx  Please follow and rate our show!  Explore our work at https://www.socialprogress.org/ Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more.  Help us advance social progress across the world! Your donation makes a huge difference to us. Donate now!  Want the full story? Subscribe to our newsletter!

    35 min
  2. Why India Is Reshaping the Global Economy

    MAR 12

    Why India Is Reshaping the Global Economy

    In this episode of Beyond GDP: The Social Progress Podcast, host Michael Green, CEO of the Social Progress Imperative, speaks with Dr. Amit Kapoor, Chairman of the Institute for Competitiveness, about the challenges behind India’s rise and why measuring progress requires looking beyond GDP. Dr. Kapoor explains how India’s development story is shaped by social progress indicators, environmental pressures, and shifting global economic dynamics. From foreign aid and international development to urban pollution and global influence, the conversation explores how countries can measure success in ways that reflect the real well-being of their citizens. They also discuss why GDP alone cannot capture a nation’s progress, what alternative metrics reveal about inequality and sustainability, and how India’s trajectory may influence global development in the decades ahead. In this episode, we discuss: • Why GDP is an incomplete measure of national progress  • How India’s social progress has evolved over the past decade  • The global impact of foreign aid spending  • Why many of the world’s most polluted cities are in India  • How economic strength translates into geopolitical influence Timestamps 00:00:00 Introduction & why India’s development story matters 00:01:38 Is India’s social progress slowing down? 00:03:35 Does foreign aid actually work? 00:04:11 Measuring progress beyond GDP 00:09:42 Why social progress indicators matter 00:13:21 India’s development trajectory and inequality 00:18:10 India’s pollution crisis and public health 00:20:22 Why solving pollution is so complex 00:23:32 Economic power and global influence 00:25:58 India’s role in the global economy 00:26:03 Can economic growth solve inequality? 00:27:39 Final thoughts on measuring progress beyond GDP Please follow and rate our show! Explore our work at https://www.socialprogress.org/ Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more. Help us advance social progress across the world! Your donation makes a huge difference to us. Donate now! Want the full story? Subscribe to our newsletter!

    30 min
  3. How Brazil Is Fixing Its Cities From the Inside Out with IPS Brasil

    MAR 4

    How Brazil Is Fixing Its Cities From the Inside Out with IPS Brasil

    Brazil is ranked 52nd in the world for social progress but behind that number are 5,570 municipalities each fighting their own hidden crises. In this episode, Michael Green sits down with Melissa Wilm from IPS Brasil to uncover four on-the-ground stories of what happens when data meets real communities. From two rival Brazilian capitals turning competition into collaboration, to a small Amazon town where malnutrition had nothing to do with healthcare, to a health secretary who changed one thing and transformed his entire community, to a city that discovered its data had been wrong all along this is what evidence-based policymaking actually looks like in practice. The 2026 IPS Brasil Social Progress Index launches in May. Explore the full data tool at ipsbrazil.org.br 00:00:00 Introduction — Brazil's place in global social progress 00:01:11 Meet Melissa Wilm & IPS Brasil 00:01:36 Brazil's social progress profile: success and unfulfilled potential 00:02:33 How the index works across 5,570 municipalities 00:05:15 Case Study 1: Curitiba vs Belo Horizonte — healthy competition 00:10:15 Case Study 2: Capinzal do Norte — the food crisis hiding in the farmland 00:13:19 Small town, global relevance — the ultra-processed food crisis 00:15:47 Case Study 3: Água Azul do Norte — the clinic that changed everything 00:17:46 Case Study 4: Abaetetuba — when the data was wrong all along 00:20:59 The 2026 IPS Brasil index — what's coming in May 00:21:30 Prediction 00:24:10 Wrap-up & where to find IPS Brasil Please follow and rate our show! Explore our work at https://www.socialprogress.org/ Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more. Help us advance social progress across the world! Your donation makes a huge difference to us. Donate now! Want the full story? Subscribe to our newsletter!

    24 min
  4. Belonging and the Loneliness Epidemic with Kim Samuel

    FEB 25

    Belonging and the Loneliness Epidemic with Kim Samuel

    Is the loneliness epidemic a policy failure? In this episode of the Beyond GDP Podcast, Michael Green speaks with Kim Samuel, founder of the Belonging Forum, about the growing crisis of social isolation, and why belonging may be the missing metric in public policy. While GDP measures economic output, it tells us little about whether people feel included, represented, or connected.  New data from the Belonging Barometer shows: • 21% of people don’t feel they belong • 41% of people with disabilities report frequent loneliness • Young women report the highest levels of isolation We explore: • The difference between loneliness and belonging • Why social isolation is rising globally • Climate anxiety, geopolitics, and generational uncertainty • Whether technology strengthens or weakens belonging • Why belonging may become a policy priority within five years Please follow and rate our show! Explore our work at https://www.socialprogress.org/ Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more. Help us advance social progress across the world! Your donation makes a huge difference to us. Donate now! Want the full story? Subscribe to our newsletter!

    26 min
  5. Riane Eisler on Care, Partnership, and the Real Wealth of Nations

    FEB 18

    Riane Eisler on Care, Partnership, and the Real Wealth of Nations

    Most of our societal problems stem from an outdated dominance-based system and the solution isn’t more of the same. For episode 1 of season 2 of Beyond GDP: The Social Progress Podcast, our host Michael Green sits down with Riane Eisler, President of the Center for Partnership Systems, and distinguished scientist, futurist and author of The Chalice and the Blade and The Real Wealth of Nations.  In this episode, we discuss the overlooked sectors that traditional economies ignore, including the household, natural, and volunteer economies, and how neglecting them perpetuates inequality and chaos.  Perfect for leaders, change-makers, educators, and anyone interested in understanding the deep roots of societal change. Ancient societies, long erased from our history books, demonstrated partnership models that promoted peace and cooperation, so what can we learn about this? The stakes couldn’t be higher: If we ignore these insights, we risk ongoing regression into violent, hierarchical systems that threaten our survival. But if we embrace a partnership-centered approach, we unlock the potential for resilient communities, gender equality, and social progress. Please follow and rate our show! Explore our work at https://www.socialprogress.org/ Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more. Help us advance social progress across the world! Your donation makes a huge difference to us. Donate now! Want the full story? Subscribe to our newsletter!

    29 min

  6. FEB 5

    Social Progress Index vs Human Development Index

    Michael Green, CEO of the Social Progress Imperative, explains the fundamental distinctions between the Social Progress Index and the Human Development Index, shedding light on how social and environmental factors are measured differently from traditional economic metrics. Michael shares the origin and purpose of the Human Development Index introduced in 1990, its indicators, and its limitations. He provides insight into why the Social Progress Index assesses societal progress. Please follow and rate our show! Explore our work at https://www.socialprogress.org/ Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more. Help us advance social progress across the world! Your donation makes a huge difference to us. Donate now! Want the full story? Subscribe to our newsletter!

    3 min

  7. 12/10/2025

    Is DEI Dead? Why Diversity Is Now More Essential Than Ever

    Over the past year, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts have faced severe backlash, especially in the United States, prompting many organizations to quietly abandon their initiatives. Some claim “mission accomplished.” The data says otherwise. In Episode 5 of Beyond GDP: The Social Progress Podcast, host Michael Green sits down with Elmira Bayrasli, former diplomat, author, professor, and CEO of Interruptrr, to challenge the notion that DEI was simply a fleeting trend. They explore why inclusion is one of the world’s weakest areas of progress and why abandoning it now poses a severe risk to business and society. Key takeaways: Shocking real-world examples, including failures during 9/11 and October 7th, where the deliberate rejection of women’s perspectives led to catastrophic outcomes.Why Elmira thinks the US has made it uniquely difficult for women to rise to the presidency compared to other countries.How diverse teams are better at lowering risk and anticipating what could go wrong.Elmira shares data on women’s representation in media and policy. Elmira details why she started Interruptrr.Please follow and rate our show! Explore our work at https://www.socialprogress.org/ Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more. Help us advance social progress across the world! Your donation makes a huge difference to us. Donate now! Want the full story? Subscribe to our newsletter!

    30 min

  8. 12/08/2025

    Ukraine's social progress superpower. How the world got Ukraine wrong.

    The world got Ukraine wrong. Why was Ukraine underestimated and Russia overestimated for decades? It’s not just a military question, it's a social progress story. In this episode of Beyond GDP: The Social Progress Podcast, host Michael Green sits down with Orysia Lutsevych, Head of the Ukraine Forum at Chatham House, to reveal the surprising civic strength that has defined Ukraine's identity and fueled its resilience. Before the invasion, data from the Global Social Progress Index showed Ukraine was performing well in translating economic growth into strong social outcomes. Lutsevych explains the historical and institutional secrets behind this success, and why the outcome of this war is foundational for shaping our entire global system. Please follow and rate our show! Explore our work at https://www.socialprogress.org/ Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more. Help us advance social progress across the world! Your donation makes a huge difference to us. Donate now! Want the full story? Subscribe to our newsletter!

    31 min

  9. 12/03/2025

    What is the secret of Costa Rica’s success?

    Let's explore Costa Rica's remarkable social progress and the factors contributing to its success. Our special guest, Jaime Garcia, discusses the historical context, the role of institutions, and the importance of education and health in driving social welfare. The conversation also addresses current challenges and the need for a more equitable distribution of social progress across the country.  The insights shared highlight the significance of political stability, sustainability, and the potential lessons other countries beyond Latin America can learn from Costa Rica's experience. Please follow and rate our show! Explore our work at https://www.socialprogress.org/ Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more. Help us advance social progress across the world! Your donation makes a huge difference to us. Donate now! Want the full story? Subscribe to our newsletter!

    25 min

  10. 11/26/2025

    The Ethics of Pension Funds: Investors Making Change

    In this episode, we challenge the foundational purpose of modern business, asking a provocative question: Is your hard-earned pension money funding the very companies that undermine your long-term health and the stability of the planet? Michael Green, CEO of the Social Progress Imperative, is joined by Catherine Howarth, CEO of ShareAction, to expose this ultimate investment paradox, where the shareholders, the true owners of the world’s largest companies, are often not taken into consideration in the business decisionmaking process.  We explore the "democratic gap" that prevents shareholders from enforcing accountability on issues like climate action and fair wages, discuss the collective failure of the financial community to shift capital away from polluting industries, and explore Catherine's confident prediction about the capitalist system for the coming decade.  Please follow and rate our show! Explore our work at https://www.socialprogress.org/ Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more. Help us advance social progress across the world! Your donation makes a huge difference to us. Donate now! Want the full story? Subscribe to our newsletter!

    23 min

  11. 11/17/2025

    The Promise and Peril of Philanthrocapitalism: Alternatives to Build a Better World

    What are the successes and challenges of Philanthrocapitalism? We highlight the evolving role of wealthy individuals and businesses in addressing social and environmental issues, the impact of political changes on philanthropy, and the future of social progress in a rapidly changing world. The conversation focuses on the need for a shift away from GDP-centric thinking towards a more holistic approach to societal well-being.  What will happen to the United States with Trump’s new economic policies? Is America close to social breakdown? As the world deals with pressing challenges such as geopolitical risks and the climate crisis, could we still rely on philanthrocapitalists to make a change? Special guest: Matthew Bishop, distinguished journalist, author, and social entrepreneur. Please follow and rate our show! Explore our work at https://www.socialprogress.org/ Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more. Help us advance social progress across the world! Your donation makes a huge difference to us. Donate now! Want the full story? Subscribe to our newsletter!

    23 min

  12. SEASON 1 TRAILER

    Beyond GDP: Why GDP Fails Us and What Comes Next for Measuring Progress

    Learn the shifting perspectives on economic growth and the limitations of GDP as a measure of national success. Discover the origins of GDP, Gross Domestic Product,  its role in guiding global economic development, and the reasons why it falls short in capturing true societal progress. From the historical context of the Great Depression and Simon Kuznets to the modern challenges of sustainability and equity, Michael Green discusses why the global conversation is moving beyond GDP. Join us as we discuss the need for new metrics, like the Social Progress Index, that better reflect the values and well-being of our societies. Find out more about how we collaborate with decision-makers and researchers to advance social progress across communities. Visit socialprogress.org Subscribe to our newsletter for more insights on how to move drom data to impact in your community. Partner with us! Please follow and rate our show! Explore our work at https://www.socialprogress.org/ Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more. Help us advance social progress across the world! Your donation makes a huge difference to us. Donate now! Want the full story? Subscribe to our newsletter!

    6 min

Trailer

About

Insight and inspiration on making the right choices for people and planet. We feature bold conversations with global leaders and innovators from government, businesses, community advocacy, foundations, and more who are charting a path for inclusive growth and sustainability. Hosted by Michael Green, CEO at Social Progress Imperative, we explore how the world must move beyond GDP metrics and economic growth to truly improve the social and environmental wellbeing of communities. ©Beyond GDP: The Social Progress Podcast is an essential listening for decision-makers ready to do things differently.

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